In our quest to highlight Egyptian designers who have solidly established their name in the Arab world and beyond, we meet up with Egyptian, French, Lebanese jewelry designer Ghada El Sokkari Sultan. Her brand, Rock by GS founded in 2019, is as much proof that fine jewelry isn’t necessarily classical as it is of a solid business strategy.
Her love for jewelry started years ago, going around jewelry stores, shopping for unique vintage pieces. All things vintage are her thing: watches, boxes, and even cars! We see her posing next to a 1970s car that was owned by her dad, which she painted into a bright cherry red color.
“In my early twenties, I took a few pieces of my jewelry and commissioned someone to make them into two earring and ring sets I designed. Another creation that I love would be two Art Deco style bracelets I crafted out of small jewelry items that I’ve collected over the years. They’re inspired by vintage Cartier.”
At some point she lost all her jewelry. She started making pieces for herself to rebuild her collection. A friend of hers loved the creations so much she started showcasing them across stores in Dubai, and after a while Ghada decided to establish her brand Rock by GS that is now available in Dubai, Cairo, London, and Doha.
Ghada draws her inspiration from everything and anything and attempts to incite happiness and positivity into people buying her designs. That is clear from the colorful palette used in the jewelry, the branding and the packaging.
Rock by GS was initially known for pinky rings which Ghada has been designing for over a decade. She believes that jewelry doesn’t have to be limited to a certain occasion or time of day and assures us that her designs can be worn anytime.
Speaking about her taste in fashion, Ghada shares her love for streetwear. But she is also known in Dubai and Cairo society circles for rocking stunning evening wear at big occasions. Of course, accessorized with eye-catching Rock by GS statement pieces.
She continues to tell us about her many collections, especially the Ankh, Lotus and the Scarab that take inspiration from her motherland. “As Egyptians, we often tend to forget our Pharaonic heritage, and I felt like Egypt deserved more jewelry designers that celebrated that period in our history through their work.”
Rock by GS collections are carefully crafted to tailor to a new and modern way of wearing jewelry, with each piece being infused with heritage, elegance, originality and beauty. Retailing at multiple stores and platforms, the Rock by GS website is the place to discover and indulge in all the collections from the very first to the latest, the Flower Power Collection.
